As a mother of two growing kids, and co-founder of a growing tech start-up, I wear more than a few hats! Like many parents, I often find myself rushing to make the carpool line after a last-minute, afternoon meeting is called in the office. It’s quite a juggling act, this whole work-and-family balance thing, and sometimes I have to take a deep breath and repeat my friend Annette’s mantra: “you’re going to miss these days, many years from now!”
However, my kids Anya (13 years old) and Adam (10 years old) are big supporters of what I do, and that certainly helps. Both kids are always “pitching” me on marketing ideas for our fast-growing software app, Connectify. Anya loves the idea of giving out tote bags, t-shirts, and other Connectify swag, while Adam, the video game-obsessed younger brother, thinks Connectify should have shelf-space at every GameStop!
I love listening to my kids’ ideas when it comes to Connectify, and their perspective is that much more valuable because they’ve seen first-hand just how useful the app can be, especially on long family trips!
My ideal vacation entails packing only the bare essentials, and purchasing anything else I might need when I arrive at my chosen destination. But, when it comes to traveling with the kids, well that’s a pipe dream. Instead, on our family trips we look more like a nomadic tribe, caravaning from state-to-state with all of our worldly possessions in tow. Anya and Adam each have their laptops, iPads, and gaming devices. And, that’s in addition to their pillows, 100 books, ten puzzles, juice boxes, granola bars, and… well, you get the picture.
Our car always gets packed to the hilt, and if I try to remove even a single packed item, I hear that it’s the most important thing and absolutely cannot be left behind. With some persistence, I usually cave, so most of their precious items make their way out of our house and into the car.
On a recent trip, I heard a familiar question: “Are we there yet?” I immediately quipped, “Hey! Use that iPad you begged me to bring!” Almost in unison, the kids countered, “And do what? It has no Wi-Fi!” My maternal (and business) instincts kicked in, “Ahh, but you can get on the Internet because I have Connectify Hotspot running on my laptop.”
Connectify Hotspot lets users transform their laptop into a Wi-Fi hotspot. It’s easy to create a secure wireless network and share any Internet connection with friends and family… especially on the go.
In two seconds flat, I set up our Connectify Hotspot. The kids were on the Internet, and happy for the rest of the ride. In an instant, Connectify went from boring… to brilliant. Both kids offered, “Mommy, what you do is pretty cool, and it works!”
And they doubted me.
While Connectify was a total lifesaver, allowing us to launch a real Wi-Fi hotspot in our Honda Element, I’m sure my husband and I will still heard the age-old, “are we there yet” a few more times. That never changes.
Whether you’re traveling with a gaggle of kids, or just hitting the road on your own this holiday season, I hope you’ll remember Connectify Hotspot.
Bhana Grover is President of Connectify. For more information, visit www.connectify.me.